Category: World

Iran Deal Under Review By President Trump

Since Donald trump came to power in 2016, there have been tensions between the US and various other countries which have caused economic and political shockwaves around the world. At the start of the year, tensions between the US and North Korea seemed to be escalating rapidly, and relations with China were stretched with talks of a trade war occurring.

Most recently, Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran deal drew widespread condemnation from global leaders, suggesting it was a controversial and potentially consequential move. Here are some of the ways this may affect the dollar.

This could end the era of the petrodollar, which has benefitted the US for many years. As such, the dollar’s value may well sink as other countries race to take advantage of this.

Sanctions

By withdrawing from the Nuclear Deal and putting sanctions on Iran once again, the US may well find that some businesses suffer as a result. Those which were previously dealing with Iranian companies will now find it much harder to do business with them, which could, ultimately, lose them profit.

This may well lead to a dip in their profits, potentially affecting the value of some company shares. Some groups may even need to use the services of investment advisors likeWellington Management Funds before choosing stocks to invest in, so that they can navigate some of the stocks which may lose value as a result of recent events.

Oil

The price of oil has already shot up to over $80 a barrel since the US placed sanctions on Iran once again, meaning that the sanctions themselves may well have had the opposite intended effect (given that the oil industry is a major part of Iran’s economy).

This could be bad news for US consumers, as it may well make a number of commodities (such as petrol) more expensive, and potentially drive down consumer spending, once again harming the dollar’s value overall.

The US withdrawal from the Iran Deal has caused a great deal of tension globally, and the full effects are yet to be realised. There will no doubt be further developments to come, many of which may have a bearing on the dollar’s value and fortunes, at least in the short term.

May 23, 2018 at 4:40amRobots are here to stay. As with every new development, there will always be a few negative things that will try to mess it up. The advent of bots has come with a number of advantages as well as disadvantages https://t.co/1Wz201FPtk

Life is busy: it can feel like you are continually spinning plates just to stay afloat, and it is this plate spinning act that can make it seem like life is out of control. So how can you reduce the stress and fatigue that you are experiencing? Here are 4 tips to help you regain control of your life and stop stresses in their tracks.

Review your finances

Financial worries are the main cause of stress, but when was the last time that you reviewed your household budget? Create a spreadsheet that details your income and your expenditure. Chances are high that you will be surprised at where you are leaking money. Take lunch prepared at home to work and reduce the number of takeout coffees that you buy each week to reduce your spending. Review your utility bills and seek a better rate from other providers – be active in saving money. If you currently have tax issues from unfiled returns, rather than stick your head in the sand, take advice and seek a solution. A company such as mytaxlawyer.org can take the headache from you, and help resolve the stress that you are in.

Say no

You do not have to keep saying yes to every demand that is made on your time. You do not have to accept every invitation, and that means saying no. Friends and family will understand if you decline invitations or requests for your attendance at events. Although initially they may be taken aback by your change in habit, sometimes youjust need to say no, and in the long run, they will come to terms with this alteration. Instead, spend time catching up on chores and tasks that need to be completed. Spending time to complete your to-do list will reduce your stress levels, and free you from worry.

Review your diet

In order to perform at your peak, you must fuel your body so that it is able to cope with the demands that you make on it – both physically and mentally. Try to avoid over processed food and make healthy decisions for your food and drink intake. Fresh fruit and vegetables are not only great for your body, but for your mind too. The more colorful your food options, the richer they are in the nutrients that you need to function at optimum performance.

Take up a hobby

While this may feel counter-intuitive for someone that is lacking in time and feeling stressed,taking up a hobbyis a great way to take time out. A hobby allows you to focus on something other than the issues that are causing your worries, and the benefit of taking time out is that you can revisit the issues but with a fresh perspective from taking a break. The small details that have caused you stress are reduced, and you can look at the bigger picture. If you are physically able, try and choose a hobby that requires some physical exertion – get the blood pumping, and you will benefit from the release of endorphins that are the body’s natural feel-good hormones.

To gain control of your life, you must be active in seeking solutions. Be kind to yourself and make your wellbeing a priority. Whether you have financial worries or feel that you don’t have time to be the best version of you, by being proactive you can regain control.

Back in 2008 when Bitcoin was first conceived and began making its entry into the world of currency, there was a great deal of speculation as to whether or not this digital currency could (or would!) take the power of finances away from central banks around the world that have always held the keys to wealth. Over the past 8 years Bitcoins have surged in value from their humble beginnings at a value of $0.01 per coin to over $1200 per coin in 2013 and then back down again to just about half that value where they are currently valued at. Even though this currency is highly speculative, there are those who question whether their slow dominance of the Internet is a good thing – or not. Here are some thoughts on the issue.

Difficult to Use without Being Valued against other Bitcoins

As a peer to peer currency that is really valued by supply and demand, it should also be realized that there are only so many Bitcoins that will ever be made. The supply is finite, which to some, gives them value because of the old ‘supply and demand’ rule of finance. When it comes to wagering on online games such as poker, it becomes difficult to use them as a currency because it is difficult to break them down into smaller units that can be used as a wager and also, hard for ultimate values to be assessed as the value is even more volatile than many of the leading currencies on the market. It is far easier to use a major currency against another major currency than it is a digital currency against a major currency. In short, they are not yet fully understood by the masses and computations are highly complex. Too complex for the average financial transaction online.

The #1 Concern – Digital Anything Is Open to Hackers

Then there is the concern that since Bitcoins are a digital currency, hackers can literally take over a person’s supply with no one being the wiser as they can also create bogus Bitcoins that may be passed as authentic. The current level of online security appears to be inadequate to keep up with the type of security needed for digital currency so the slow dominance of the internet in this regard is actually a good thing. The longer it takes for this particular currency to gain in popularity and use, the longer cyber security teams will have to find ways to secure sites that accept Bitcoin payment.

In the end, the faster anything at all gains dominance over a market, the quicker it can come tumbling down. When people like online gamers are wagering bets, the money they are playing with needs to have real value. There is nothing ‘tangible’ about an online game as there would be such things as ordering articles from an online merchant and with the hopes of winning, that money being wagered becomes all the more important. It’s just that – a wager, a bet. With nothing to say that other digital currencies won’t hit the market, lowering its value and no sure way to protect against hackers at this time, slow dominance is indeed a very good thing.

In today’s global economy, what happens in one part of the world – sometimes in one specific country – can set off a chain reaction likely to have far-reaching effects for consumers everywhere. When Panama Disease hit and peaked in Central America in the 1950s, for example, it wiped out thousands of acres of banana plantations that caused a worldwide shortage of the fruit, even forcing growers to abandon their favored cultivar and go in search of new types. Today, most of the world eats an entirely different kind of banana – the Cavendish – because of this.

Like bananas, global products of all kinds are not immune to the effects of global markets. Recent announcements and economic policies have U.S. markets and consumers poised for a price hike for common steel and aluminum products. From soda cans to new cars, hundreds of industries are likely to see costs go up. Yet these products are far from the only ones being impacted by global geo-political tensions and sharp changes in demand and consumer preferences.

Food

Global food prices are hitting new highs as demand for meat, dairy, and wheat from countries with expanding populations continues to surge. U.N. food agency data shows global food prices are up 7 percent from a year ago and ahead 17 percent from a low set in early 2016. According to analysts, there has been a growing global demand for meat, particularly for beef. So strong is this demand that global meat has outpaced most other major food commodity groups, according to U.N. data.

Common Household Goods

Yes, even toilet paper is not immune to drastic price hikes and consumer panic. Just this week, a spike in the price to produce toilet paper in Taiwan cause panic to a point where lines formed outside of local grocery stores as people snapped up toilet paper and paper towels in bulk. The mess began on February 23rd when, according to The Economist, Taiwanese retailers, including several supermarket chains, said that toilet-paper producers would increase prices by as much as 30 percent in March because the cost of raw pulp had gone up.

Pearls

Political uncertainty in the South China sea has forced the price of pearls upward, much to the dismay of traditional brick-and-mortar and online retailers throughout the U.S. Leon Rbibo, who runs two of the top pearl websites in the U.S., The Pearl Source and Laguna Pearl, says military escalations in this part of the world can drive costs up “literally overnight,” since a large portion of the world’s favorite gemstone is imported from this area. Add to that the implications of Brexit, which is destabilizing world currencies, and you have a recipe for higher costs.

Gas and Other Fuel Types

There was a brief respite from the pump for many U.S. consumers over the last year, but don’t bank on that trend continuing, analysts say. According to AAA and the transportation industry, more than half of the country is likely to see a significant spike in the average cost for a gallon of unleaded gasoline. According to AAA, there are numerous reasons for the hike:

This year “has seen fluctuating crude oil prices, strong gasoline demand and new U.S. oil production records creating a volatile gas price market from month to month for consumers,” Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokeswoman, said. “Typically, March brings more expensive pricing as days get longer, weather gets warmer and refinery’s gear up to switchover to pricier summer blends.”

Bourbon (and Other U.S.-Produced Spirits)

New U.S. tariffs have other countries considering raising duties of their own. The European Union could choose to retaliate by going after peanut butter, orange juice, cranberries, and yes, even that world-famous Kentucky bourbon.

The European Union is the first trade partner to offer specific steps and products if the U.S. is to proceed with certain proposed tariffs, including on steel. Canada has also promised countermeasures. And Mexico, China and Brazil are said to be weighing options.

If you’re into the world of investing, you know what an IPO, or Initial Public Offering, is. This is when companies offer shares to the general public in an attempt to raise funds; the transaction that defines the difference between privately held and publicly traded. However, Spotify’s offering is very different from anything we’ve ever seen before. Today, we’ll talk about how the Spotify IPO is unique.

Bell-Ringing… Spotify Won’t Be Taking Part!

When an IPO launches, the CEO or other members from the company’s team of executives will generally ring the opening bell or closing bell for the stock exchange on which it goes public. However, that won’t be the case for Spotify. In fact, the company won’t be engaging in any self promotion or congratulatory events on the day it goes public.

That’s right, the CEO won’t be on the trading floor on April third talking about the company. Not to mention, there will not be any parties to celebrate the going public milestone. In a recent statement, Daniel Ek, CEO and founder at Spotify, had the following to offer:

“For us, going public has never really been about the pop or circumstance of it all…”

New Shares… No Need!

Even more interestingly, Spotify will not be offering any NEW shares during its IPO! In general, when a company launches its IPO,that company will offer new shares of the stock to those that purchase through the IPO. However, Spotify is going about things in a very unconventional way.

In a recent announcement, the company said that it would not be offering new shares. Instead, allSpotify sharesincluded in the IPO are shares held by existing shareholders. While this is very unorthodox, it’s actually very interesting and could be for a very good reason.

When new shares are included in an IPO, they are traditionally known as a lockup period. However, by only offering shares that are already held by existing shareholders, there will be no lockup period enforced by Wall Street underwriters. Is this a positive or negative? Well, no one really knows as we’ve never seen anything like this before. However, it does provide some advantages that could cause further demand among the investing public.

No Closed-Door Promotion

Finally, when a company launches an IPO, there’s quite a bit of awareness building that happens to take place. Much of this awareness building is done behind closed doors on road shows. However, Spotify has made it clear that they will not be doing any closed door promotion of the IPO. Instead, everything done will be public knowledge.

This was taken a step further on Thursday when the company first live streamed a road show. Here’s thelink to the archived video. While this is unorthodox yet again, it could prove to be a positive as it will likely lead to investors enjoying the added transparency.

Final Thoughts

IPOs happen all of the time. However, this particular IPO is like nothing the market has ever seen before. Without private meetings, bell ringing events, interviews and new shares, Spotify is setting the stage for a very interesting first trading session on March 3rd.

March 18, 2018 at 6:47amA TRIO OF MUST-HAVE GADGETS FOR INVESTORS Whether you’re a newbie to the world of investing or have been dabbling in the stock market for some time, you likely find yourself checking your portfolio at least once a day; after all, you want to find out if your making money, #stocks, https://t.co/anQ6rFVEiG

Life is busy: it can feel like you are continually spinning plates just to stay afloat, and it is this plate spinning act that can make it seem like life is out of control. So how can you reduce the stress and fatigue that you are experiencing? Here are 4 tips to help you regain control of your life and stop stresses in their tracks.

Review your finances

Financial worries are the main cause of stress, but when was the last time that you reviewed your household budget? Create a spreadsheet that details your income and your expenditure. Chances are high that you will be surprised at where you are leaking money. Take lunch prepared at home to work and reduce the number of takeout coffees that you buy each week to reduce your spending. Review your utility bills and seek a better rate from other providers – be active in saving money. If you currently have tax issues from unfiled returns, rather than stick your head in the sand, take advice and seek a solution. A company such as mytaxlawyer.org can take the headache from you, and help resolve the stress that you are in.

Say no

You do not have to keep saying yes to every demand that is made on your time. You do not have to accept every invitation, and that means saying no. Friends and family will understand if you decline invitations or requests for your attendance at events. Although initially they may be taken aback by your change in habit, sometimes youjust need to say no, and in the long run, they will come to terms with this alteration. Instead, spend time catching up on chores and tasks that need to be completed. Spending time to complete your to-do list will reduce your stress levels, and free you from worry.

Review your diet

In order to perform at your peak, you must fuel your body so that it is able to cope with the demands that you make on it – both physically and mentally. Try to avoid over processed food and make healthy decisions for your food and drink intake. Fresh fruit and vegetables are not only great for your body, but for your mind too. The more colorful your food options, the richer they are in the nutrients that you need to function at optimum performance.

Take up a hobby

While this may feel counter-intuitive for someone that is lacking in time and feeling stressed,taking up a hobbyis a great way to take time out. A hobby allows you to focus on something other than the issues that are causing your worries, and the benefit of taking time out is that you can revisit the issues but with a fresh perspective from taking a break. The small details that have caused you stress are reduced, and you can look at the bigger picture. If you are physically able, try and choose a hobby that requires some physical exertion – get the blood pumping, and you will benefit from the release of endorphins that are the body’s natural feel-good hormones.

To gain control of your life, you must be active in seeking solutions. Be kind to yourself and make your wellbeing a priority. Whether you have financial worries or feel that you don’t have time to be the best version of you, by being proactive you can regain control.

There are many people who do not like stepping out of their home and visit a gym yet the wish to stay fit and maintain proper shape. Though workout is mostly done in a gym or under the open sky, you can also practice regular workout in your home. Workout in the home can be done with and without equipment. Here, in this article, we are sharing some important tips that you must keep in mind while you are workout equipment for your daily workout session at home.

Know your workout preference: While choosing gym equipment for your home workout session, the first thing that you must do it is know your workout preference. If you are someone who likes practicing yoga, equipment like yoga mat is perfect for you as for yoga you do not need any machine.

Take a proper measurement: While purchasing gym equipment it is necessary for you to take proper measurement of the space where you are planning to place your gym machines. It is a good idea to measure the space before installation of machines as it will make sure that you are purchasing equipments which are suitable for the space available. When go for purchasing, ask the seller about the measurement.

Try out the equipments yourself: It is always a wise idea to try out anything before you make up your mind for purchasing it. When you test drive anything, you get know all the flaws and the benefits of that particular thing. One must only purchase an item when he or she is comfortable in using it.

Fitness goal: Once you decide about purchasing a gym equipment for your home gym make sure that you know your fitness goal in advance. If you want to lose weight fast, a treadmill will be beneficial. However, if you want to gain strength you should go for more muscle building equipment. One must choose a fitness equipment which will suit his or her needs. Check here for more information about fitness equipment.

Budget: When it comes to purchasing anything , budget plays an important role. When you decide on purchasing anything you should keep in mind the amount that you are willing to spend for purchasing that particular thing. Generally, one must not spend a huge amount on purchasing workout equipment for home. However, you must also avoid purchasing very cheap equipment as well.

Some other things that you must keep in mind while purchasing workout equipment:

Before you purchase any equipment make sure you do a proper online research about all the equipments that can be used for home workout. You will also find many equipments that are multifunctional making them perfect for home workout as they save a lot of money and space.

When you plan on purchasing home workout equipment, go for equipments having long term warranty. If you do not find any such product, extend the warranty period as will cost you less as compared to repairing.

When someone is planning to skip the gym and workout at home instead, some equipments like exercise balls, mats and videos prove to be very beneficial. As you are working out at home, you will have no instructor, a video can help you in such situations.

Throughout history, plagiarism has always been present, but never more so than in the current digital age. Where the internet is filled to the brim with content, with more being posted each and every day, it can be difficult to truly know whether what you are reading is original content. However, while most plagiarism cases are dealt with easily or float under the radar, there are some higher profile cases that certainly haven’t had that benefit! From the likes of Amy Schumer, to Melania Trump and even The New York Daily News, the following certainly could’ve done with a plagiarism checker! Without further ado, here are the five biggest plagiarism scandals of recent years.

The New York Daily News

The New York Daily News case was one that taught editors and writers across the globe a valuable lesson – keep drafts, notes, and ensure you save any relevant emails! They might not seem like much once the piece is done and ready to go, but you never know just when it might prove useful.

On April 19th 2016, journalist Shaun King had an article published that readers noticed was very similar to one published much earlier by The Daily Beast. Of course, this was immediately accused of being plagiarised, but there was an unexpected twist to come! King took to twitter after the accusations with evidence of timestamped emails that contained his original submission, and it turned out it was in fact an editorial issue! Jotham Sederstrom edited out the attribution that had been put into the piece before it went online! As a result, he was fired for the mistake.

Joe Biden

Many of us known Joe Biden as the much-loved vice president to Barack Obama, but long before he filled that role, Biden tried his own hand at the top spot. In 1987, Biden was running his presidential campaign but it was swiftly cut short when the accusations of plagiarism came rolling in. It soon surfaced that Biden had stolen a speech from a British politician by the name of Neil Kinnock. Soon after his academic work came under fire for plagiarism also. His withdrawal from the presidential race was, of course, announced soon after.

Amy Schumer

Laughter is a language that every person can speak, and jokes are often a great way of spreading said laughter around – well, if they don’t receive a groan instead! But in 2016, Amy Schumer came under fire when she was accused of plagiarising the jokes she was using in her stand-up performances. Tammy Pescatelli, Kathleen Madigan and Wendy Liebman all claimed that Schumer had ‘stolen’ their jokes and passed them off as her own without firing a single thank you in their direction. This story didn’t come to any conclusion, however, as Schumer only denied the claims, and it wasn’t taken any further.

Melania Trump

While this one might not be the tip of the ice-burg when it comes to thinking about the most words plagiarised, it certainly does for one of the worst possible places to do it. Also taking place in 2016, Melania Trump’s plagiarism scandal came about when she took to the stage to give a speech on the President’s behalf at the Republican National Convention. However, as great as the speech may have appeared to some, it pricked the ears of Obama fans, who quickly realised that Melania’s speech sounded strangely similar to Michelle Obama’s speech that was given in 2008 at the Democratic National Convention. Melania’s speech writer was blamed, and while she apologised and went on to try and resign, Trump refused to accept it anyway.

Vladamir Putin

1997 brought about Putin’s turn to face public criticism following accusations of plagiarism. Putin’s 1996 dissertation titled ‘Strategic Planning of Mineral Resources Replenishment at a Regional Level in Market Economy’ fell under scrutiny when it appeared to bear unavoidable resemblance to a book written by William Kind and David Cleland’s book ‘Strategic Planning and Policy’. Granted, no one’s approached Putin to question it directly, but the accusations have been made all the same.

Looking for the short answer? Yes! If you drive a taxi for a living, standard car insurance policies do not cover your needs. They will not protect your customers, your car – or you – in the event of an accident or incident. You need specialist coverage like taxi insurance to ensure that your livelihood is safeguarded.

Public or Private Taxi?

The specific type of taxi insurance cover you need depends on the type of taxi you drive. It may be private (i.e. booked in advance) or public (i.e. those that can be hailed by people on the street and do not require pre-booking). You must have public taxi insuranceif you pick up customers without booking – even if you typically only do private hire.

What Level of Protection Do You Need?

Just like regular motor insurance, taxi cover has three levels:

Comprehensive: This is the most… well, comprehensive cover you can purchase. It covers accidental damage to a third-party property, and typically also personal injury, windscreen damage, personal possessions and more. So, for example, if you cause an accident, this will pay for the damage to the other vehicle as well as your car and any third property damaged (e.g. a wall, a fence, etc.).

Third Party, Fire and Theft: This insurance protects you against damage you cause other drivers, as well as damage caused by fire or theft. What it does not cover is the damages to your car in an accident.

Third Party Only: The most basic cover, this only pays for damage to vehicles you damage in an accident, as well as passengers in your car who may have been hurt. As a taxi driver, you should carry a much higher level of protection.

Comprehensive is best in terms of protecting your income, choose from key add-ons:

Unlimited Mileage: Depending on how much you drive, this can be worth it so you do not exceed your cover.

Public Liability: This should be included in your taxi insurance policy; it covers you if a passenger has an injury or damage to property while in your vehicle. It also covers claims that may result from those incidents.

Personal Use Cover: If you use your taxi as a personal vehicle on off days, invest in this protection.

Taxi Insurance Criteria

Depending on your insurance company, you may have to meet some or all of the following criteria:

Back in 2008 when Bitcoin was first conceived and began making its entry into the world of currency, there was a great deal of speculation as to whether or not this digital currency could (or would!) take the power of finances away from central banks around the world that have always held the keys to wealth. Over the past 8 years Bitcoins have surged in value from their humble beginnings at a value of $0.01 per coin to over $1200 per coin in 2013 and then back down again to just about half that value where they are currently valued at. Even though this currency is highly speculative, there are those who question whether their slow dominance of the Internet is a good thing – or not. Here are some thoughts on the issue.

Difficult to Use without Being Valued against other Bitcoins

As a peer to peer currency that is really valued by supply and demand, it should also be realized that there are only so many Bitcoins that will ever be made. The supply is finite, which to some, gives them value because of the old ‘supply and demand’ rule of finance. When it comes to wagering on online games such as poker, it becomes difficult to use them as a currency because it is difficult to break them down into smaller units that can be used as a wager and also, hard for ultimate values to be assessed as the value is even more volatile than many of the leading currencies on the market. It is far easier to use a major currency against another major currency than it is a digital currency against a major currency. In short, they are not yet fully understood by the masses and computations are highly complex. Too complex for the average financial transaction online.

The #1 Concern – Digital Anything Is Open to Hackers

Then there is the concern that since Bitcoins are a digital currency, hackers can literally take over a person’s supply with no one being the wiser as they can also create bogus Bitcoins that may be passed as authentic. The current level of online security appears to be inadequate to keep up with the type of security needed for digital currency so the slow dominance of the internet in this regard is actually a good thing. The longer it takes for this particular currency to gain in popularity and use, the longer cyber security teams will have to find ways to secure sites that accept Bitcoin payment.

In the end, the faster anything at all gains dominance over a market, the quicker it can come tumbling down. When people like online gamers are wagering bets, the money they are playing with needs to have real value. There is nothing ‘tangible’ about an online game as there would be such things as ordering articles from an online merchant and with the hopes of winning, that money being wagered becomes all the more important. It’s just that – a wager, a bet. With nothing to say that other digital currencies won’t hit the market, lowering its value and no sure way to protect against hackers at this time, slow dominance is indeed a very good thing.